Washing machine

ABSTRACT

DISCLOSED HEREIN IS A WASHING MACHINE COMPRISING AN OUTER SHELL TOGETHER WITH AN INNER LINER AND SKEW MEMBERS LOCATED BETWEEN THE LINER AND THE OUTER SHELL WHEREBY TO EFFECT BOTH AXIAL AND CIRCUMFERENTIAL CIRCULATION OF FLUIDS IN A LAUNDRY-FREE AREA AND ELSEWHERE WITHIN THE SHELL IN RESPONSE TO SHELL ROTATION.

Sept. 28, 1971 w. c. I uTzEN 3,608,338

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o oo o o o ooooo v. ooo Oo ATTozNEY United States Patent "t 3,608,338WASHING MACHINE William C. Lutzen, Wauwatosa, Wis., assignor to LudellMfg. Co., Milwaukee, Wis. Filed Feb. 26, 1970, Ser. No. 14,452 Int. Cl.D061? 37/06, 37/08 U.S. Cl. 68-145 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSUREDisclosed herein is a washing machine comprising an outer shell togetherwith an inner liner and skew members located between the liner and theouter shell whereby to effect both axial and circumferential circulationof fluids in a laundry-free area and elsewhere within the shell inresponse to shell rotation.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 'Ihe invention relates generally to laundryWashing machines and particularly to such machines as include an outershell and an inner, at least partially, perforated liner.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to arrangements forcirculating fluids in a laundry washing machine so as to obtain uniformwashing performance. In accordance with the invention, skew membersextending in radial relation to the rotational axis of the washing drumand at an angle to such axis are located in a laundry-free area betweenthe outer shell of the Washer and at least a partially perforated linerextending generally parallel to the inner wall surface of the shell. Useof such members causes, in response to drum rotation, axial andcircumferential ow of the solutions present in the machine through anarea unencumbered by laundry to permit free circulation of suchsolutions in the washer. The invention also involves formation of theliners with an imperforate zone extending from each side of the adjacentedge of each skew member so as to provide closed-wall U-shaped channelsfor more effectively causing circumferential and axial flow.

In addition to affording opposite circumferential and axial flow inresponse to opposite drum rotation, the invention also facilitatesdrainage by providing laundry-free open passages for fluid ow to thedrain and by causing fluid ilow toward the drain upon rotation of thedrum in the proper direction.

The invention also involves the use of radially extending dividers whichseparate the drum or shell into one or more pockets and which areaxially open in the area between the liner and the outer shell to affordfree fluid flow from pocket to pocket.

The invention also involves a construction in which the liner issubstantially coextensive with the inner wall surface of the shell andin which supply and drain lifters are extended radially inwardly of theliner leaving the area radially outwardly of the lifters between theliner and the inner wall of the outer shell open for circumferential andaxial circulation of fluid.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become known byreference to the following description and accompanying drawings inwhich:

DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an elevational view, partially broken away and insection, of a washing machine embodying various of the features of theinvention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of a portion of themachine shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary, open ended perspective view,

3,608,338 Patented Sept. 28, 1971 partially in section, and takengenerally along line 3-3 of FIG. l, of the drum incorporated in the'washing machine shown in FIG. l.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view illustrating a modifiedversion of a washing drum constructed in accordance with the invention.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view illustrating anothermodified version of a Washing drum coustructed in accordance with theinvention.

DESCRIPTION Shown in the drawings is a washing machine 11 whichgenerally includes a cylindrical shell or drum 13 mounted for rotationabout a horizontal axis 17 by a pair of trunnions 19 and 21 supported bya base or support 23. Except for openings permitting loading andunloading of laundry, the shell or drum 13 includes a generallycylindrical and otherwise continuously unbroken inner Wall surface 29,together with walls at each end, which walls are also generally unbrokenexcept as otherwise described herein, only the wall 31 beingillustrated.

The shell 13 is divided into two or more pockets or compartments 33 eachhaving a loading and unloading opening 37 by one or more dividers 39extending to the shell inner wall surface 29. The end wall 31 and thedividers 39 both include, in adjacently spaced relation to the shellinner wall surface 29, and radially inwardly of a liner still to bedescribed, a circular zone 41 of apertures (see FIG. 4).

Means are provided for supplying washing solution and rinsing solutionto the shell 13. In addition, means are provided for draining thewashing and rinsing solutions. While various arrangements can beemployed, in the disclosed construction, the shell 13 includes, alongits inner surface, at least two longitudinally extending lifters 47 and49 which serve as supply channels and at least one, and preferably two,longitudinally extending lifters 51 which serve as drain channels. Thelifters all extend for the full length of the shell and the drainchannels or lifters 51 are perforated as shown at 52 (see FIG. 3) andcommunicate exteriorly of the shell through apertures 53 in the endWall.

Washing and rinsing solutions-are supplied to the shell through an axialbore 59 extending through the trunnion 19 adjacent to the end wall 31and are selectively supplied to the lifters or supply channels throughsuitable valve means 61 and conduit means 63 and 65 extending, at leastin part, on the inner surface of the adjacent end wall (see FIGS. l and4). More specifically, the lifter 47 has at least one aperture 69 fordelivering washing solution to each pocket 33 and is communicable withthe axial bore 59 through the conduit 63 on the end wall 31 and throughthe valve means 61 within the axial bore 59.

The rinse solution lifter 49 includes a series of apertures 7-1 fordelivering rinse solution to the shell 13 at the end thereof remote fromthe end wall 31. 'Ihe rinse solution lifter 49 communicates with theaxial bore 59 through the conduit 65 on the end Wall 31 and through thebeforementioned valve means 61.

In order to drain the shell, the end wall 31 adjacent the trunnion 19includes the outer peripheral zone of apertures 41 (see FIG. 2) and theend 'portion of the shell 13 is received in a portion of the bore 23providing a housing 77 having wall means cooperating with the aperturesto provide a sump 79 for receiving drainage from the lifters 51 and fromthe zone of apertures 41. A rotary seal 81 is located between thehousing 77 and the shell 13 to prevent escape of solution from betweenthe drum 13 and the housing 77, notwithstanding rotation of the drumUnwanted drainage from the sump is prevented by valve means 83 locatedat the bottom of the sump 79 and controlling ow to a suitable dischargeconduit 87.

In accordance with the invention, the shell or drum 13 is provided withmeans for axially and circumferentially circulating the washing andrinsing solutions in response to rotation of the drum and withoutinterference with the laundry being washed. In the disclosedconstruction, such means includes, in each pocket, a liner or linersegments 40 supported in generally parallel relation to the inner wallsurface 29 and extending from end to end of each pocket 33 and betweenthe lifters 47, 49 and 51, together with a plurality of skew members 91located between the liner 40 and the inner shell surface 29 andextending in radial relation to the horizontal axis and at an angle tosuch axis such that rotation of the drum in opposed directions willrespectively cause fluid in the area between the liner 40 and the innerdrum surface 29 to be oppositely axially and circumferentiallydisplaced, whereby in each pocket 33 lthere is induced a flowcirculation which assists in homogenizing the uid in the drum.

The liner 40 can be perforate throughout, however, in order to obtaingreater axial movement of the liquids in response to rotation of thedrum, it is preferred to form the liner 40 with an imperforate zone 93extending in both arcuate directions from the inner edge of each of theskew members 91, whereby to provide at each skew member, and on eachside thereof, a U-shaped lengthwise solid-walled channel formed by theinner wall surface 29, the skew member 91 and the liner imperforate zone93. In practice, the imperforate zone 93 can extend between 3 inches and6 inches on each side of the skew member and the diameter of the lshell13 can be approximately four and one-half to ve feet. Between theimperforate zones 93 extending from -adjacent skew members 9-1, theliner 40 includes perforate Zones 95 affording liquid flow through theliner 40.

In addition to the pocket circulation above discussed, some circulationfrom pocket 33 to pocket 33 will result as a consequence of impartingaxial movement to the solutions in the pockets 33. In order to increasecirculation within the drum 13 as a whole and from one pocket 33 toanother, and particularly in the area between the liner 40 and the innerwall surface 29, the dividers 39 are each preferably formed so that themajor portion in the area between the liner 40 and the inner wallsurface 29 is open to flow. More particularly, as shown in FIG. 4, eachdivider has, between adjacent skew members `91, a quarter moon shapedopening 97 affording relatively unrestricted flow from pocket 33 topocket 33 between the liner 40 and the inner wall surface 29 of theshell 13. In addition and in order to facilitate drainage, the end wall31 also has quarter moon shaped opening 97A affording relatively freeflow to the sump 79 from the area between the liner 40 to the inner wallsurface 29.

Provision of the liner 40 and of the skew members 91 also contributes todrainage of the shell. Specifically in this regard, during the drainageportion of the operating cycle, the drum 13 can be operated primarily inthe rotative direction such as to axially drain liquids through thelaundry free area between the liner 40 and the inner wall surface 29toward the end wall 31. In addition, when the drum is stationary, thelaundry free area between the liner 40 and the inner wall surface 29also serves to afford more rapid drainage toward the end wall 31.

Shown in FIG. is a construction which is slightly modified from thatshown in FIGS. 3 and 4. In particular, the liner 40 does not extend upto the sides of the lifters 47, 49 and 51 as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, butterminates 4 with radially outwardly extending end portions 96 whichjoin the inner wall surface 29 at 98 in adjacently spaced relation tothe lifters 47, 49 and 51. In other respects, the arrangement shown inFIG. 5 is substantially the same as that shown in FIGS. 3 and 4.

While the liners 40 extend in parallel relation to the shell between thelifters 47, 49 and 51, it is also in accordance with the invention toconstruct the lifters 47, 49 and 51 lso that they extend from the liner40, as compared to the shell inner wall surface 29, and thereby permitincreased peripheral or circular flow in the area between the liner 40and the shell 13 outwardly of the outer ends of the lifters 47, 49 and51. This construction is shown in FIG. `6 and provides for greatercircumferential circulation in the radial plane while also affording thebeforementioned axial circulation.

Various features of the invention are set forth in the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A washing machine comprising a generally cylindrical shell having aninner wall surface, means mounting said shell for rotation with the axisof said shell horizontally extending, a perforated liner extendinginteriorly of said shell in generally parallel relation to said innerwall surface, and means extending at an angle to the rotational axis ofsaid shell between said inner wall surface and said perforated liner.for axially directing fluid between said inner wall surface and saidliner in response to rotation of said cylinder.

2. -A washing machine in accordance with claim 1 wherein said means foraxially directing fluid comprises a plurality of members located betweensaid inner surface and said liner and extending generally radially withrespect to said horizontal axis and at an angle to said horizontal axis.

3. A washing machine in accordance with claim 1 wherein said shellincludes at least one divider extending radially of said axis anddividing said shell into two axially adjacent pockets and wherein saiddivider includes, in the area between said liner and said inner wallsurface, an open area affording free flow between adjacent pockets.

4. A washing machine in accordance with claim 1 wherein said shellincludes a plurality of lifters extending axially of said shell and fromsaid inner wall surface and wherein said liner includes segments betweensaid lifters.

5. A washing machine in accordance with claim 1 wherein said linerextends substantially co-extensively with said inner wall surface andincluding a plurality of lifters extending axially of said shell andradially inwardly from said liner.

6. A washing machine comprising a generally cylindrical shell having aninner wall surface, means mounting said shell for rotation with the axisof said shell extending horizontally, a member extending radiallyinwardly of said inner wall surface with respect to said horizontal axisand at -an angle to said horizontal axis and including a radially inneredge, and a liner extending interiorly of said shell in generallyyparallel relation to said inner wall surface at said radially inneredge, said liner including, on each side of said inner edges, animperforate zone and further including a perforate zone extending fromeach of said imperforate zones.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 90,309 5/18'69 Ross 6'8-142WILLIAM I. PRICE, Primary Examiner

